Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-07

- HA0vSA
back at YOU Now, as soon as the cowboy
began to note this queer feature Of the shoot
ing, it became q matter Of serious moment to
them. They quickly found the fault to be
in the self cocker, which. by DETECTING their
muzzles. OF course inclined the balls toward
the left side of the man facing them in front.
That settled the self cocker. The fact that
the cowboys were right Is proven BY the
simultaneous disappearance Of the new style
pistol and the temperance Of the old style
wound"
~But can't one shoot faster with the nsw
style weaponf" asked the tenderfoot
ibid you ever see q cowboy shootF asked
the ex-sherd with q quizzical smile. "Why,
zee here, this is single acting, old style pis-
tol Watch that tree"
Before the words were well uttered the
handsome sheriff had got the drop on the
growing timber, and nix shots rang out in
such rapid succession that they sounded like
the explosion Of q small pack of very large
~lrecrackers. During the shooting Mr.. White
hills left foreflnger vibrated along the top Of
the pistol barrel from muzzle to breech. The
six balls entered tho tree about three inches
apart
Snow, I carry my pistol fixed this way, and
its all ready for use" he continued, exhibit
ing the weapon. It was of 4S caliber, about
eighteen inches long and handsomely mount
ed. The trigger was tied firmly back against
tho inner side Of the guard with a rawhide
thong.
"Au I have to do with it." explained the Z
peace guardian, lis to brush the hammer back
as far as it will go with my left forefinger,
while I hold the pistol firmly with my right
hand. My right forefnger never goes near
the trigger, but helps to hold the stock, and
this makes my grip more firm and certain.
When I push back the hammer / have only
to take my finger off to let it fall and dis
charge the pistol. You see. the trigger, being
tied back, the hammer is always free. One
motion is all that is necessary to push back
the hammer and fire the shot. The trick is
called tanning the hammer You see, I
pushed it back with my left forefinger; it in
stantly fell when I released it, and the next
instant my finger was again pushing it back
to a full cock. Doing this little act quickly
makes your finger sway bacsS and forth in .
way not unlike the tanning motion. That's
where it got its name"
QUICK ON TRIGGER
sDo all cowboys adopt this plant"
"Oh, no. Most of them cock the pistol with
the left forefinger, but some prefer to leave
the trigger free and with each shot apply the
slight pressure of the right forefinger neces-
sary to discharge the weapon. There is no
pressure to speak of on the trigger, however,
and the aim is never spoiled. With a hair
trigger you have only to hold the gun straight
and you'll get there. When I was sheriff
down in Grant I always went around with
trigger tied back, and I never carried q
self cocker. Yet I could shoot as quick a.
any man. If I hadn't l would not be here
now. There's Pat Garrett, who used to be
sheriff Of Lincoln county, which he is now
trying to cut in half so as to make Pecos
county. He never carried anything but a
single acting gun, yet when he shot Billy the
he put two balls side by side in Bily's
heart before the body struck the floor. The
first shot killed Billy, but Pat wasn't taking
any chances, and he was working his pistol
for all it was worth. Now, that second ball
had to follow pretty close after the first in
order to get to the same spot Ebefore Billy
dropped, didd't 1T That shows what q
good man with a single acting pistol could
do"
$50 you would just as lieve put your single
acting pistol against the new style?r
"Why, yes. When I tried to arrest a fell
in Grant n day, he came on me sudden
ly, and got the drop with a double acting
pistol. But his ball vent under my left arm
without doing more than scratching. OF
course I went back at him as quick as the
Lord would let me, and got there. Now you
BEE why I have a poor opinion of double act
Ing pistols That fellow never missed q man |
before, and if he had had his old gun I would
have been dead now.-New York Sun.